Lamp box type direction signal



Nov. 9, 1948. G, DYER 2,453,421

I! LAMP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Jan. 28, 1947 2 sheets-shes; 1

Nov. 9, 1948 I G. DYER 2,453,421

' LAMP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Jan. 28, 1947 '2 Sheets-Sheet 219 It? i 2] 3 7% W .79 l

j I). 7 [I I 32 I Patented Nov. 9, 1948 LAlVIP BOX TYPE DIRECTION SIGNALa George Dyer, Cheyenne, Wyo. Application Jamis ys, 1947, Serialivbqzzingv l 1 i The invention relates to automobile turning signals ofthe general type having a plurality of translucent signalling members ofcolored glass orthe like, to be selectively illuminated to indicate thedrivers intentions.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel signalling devicehaving a right-turn? arrow, a left-turn? arrow, a through arrow, and aletter U indicating a U-turn, or a letter S to indicate that a stop willbe made. The U is preferred but the S may be used in cities whichprohibit U-turns. i i

Separate illuminating light bulbs are provided within a casing whichcarries the signalling members, for the purpose of selectivelyilluminating said members, and a further object of the invention is toprovide a simple, inexpensive and effective construction withinsaidcasing for defining a plurality of cells which contain the light bulbsand are allotted individually to the signalling members, insuring thatwhen any one of the sig nailing members is to be illuminated, the othersshall, remain unilluminated.

Yet another object is to provide a construction which may be easily andinexpensively manufactured, profitably sold at a reasonable cost,maybereadily mounted in any of a number of locations on an automobile orother vehicle, and will be effective and reliable. j

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a rear elevation,showing that both front and rear of the device may be made to giveduplicate signals, and this ,is preferable to permitone devicto sufiicefor a car instead of having one at the front and another at the rear.

2 Claims. (01. 177-429) ripheral wallj ll], said front and back Wallsbeing detachably secured to said peripheral wall by means of screws Hextending through said front and back walls and threaded into aperturedlugs 12 which project inwardly from said peripheral Wall. p p a Anattaching bracket I3 is providedfor the casing 1, said bracket having a.contractable band I 4 surrounding the peripheral wall iii, betweenbeing provided to contract the band it frietionally two heads It on thelatter, a bolt or the like it around the casing. When this bolt isloosened, the band l4 may rotate on the casing to dispose the bracket 13for attachment either to a sub stantially horizontal surface of a car,or to an.

approximately vertical surface. After making this adjustment, the bolt[6 is tightened. The construction described in this paragraph is claimedin my divisional application Serial No.

of these signalling members are constructed from translucent coloredglass or plastic and they are secured in suitable slots in the casingwalls, in

? anypreferred manner. Forillustrative purposes, I have illustratedangle brackets 2i secured. to

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the front wall removed, a number and insection,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional viewon line 4- 4 of Fig. 3.,

of parts being brokenaway Fig. 51s a vertical sectional view on1ine5-;--5

of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View showing aiportlon of thecell-forming means.

A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be specificallydescribed, with the understanding, however, that variations may be madewithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

A easing 'l is provided having a front wall .8, a back" wall *9, f and aprefe'rably cylindrical pethe casing and. securing the signallingmembers a in place.

The turn arrows Hand 18 are horizontal and radially disposed andhavetheir heads at their outer ends; the through arrow I9 is centrally"and vertically. disposed above said turn arrows I1 and lfl and thelatter 2B is vertically disposed centrally under saidturn arrows H andit. This relation is compact and attractive and makesfthe signalling.members readily readable when illuminated, with no. chanceofmisunderstanding the drivers intentions.

Within the casing I, I provide a plurality of light bulbs allottedindividually to the signalling,

members J1, l8, l9 and 20. The bulbs for the member l1. are shown at Hithose for the member [8 at l8; those for the member H3 at 19'; i

and those for the member 20 at 20'. The sockets for the bulbs. H areillustrated. at Ila; those All of these sockets and bulbs are preferablyof the single contact type, and the wiring from the various sockets mayextend to the interior of the car to a suitable control switch, througha suitable passage 22 in the bracket I3, the casing side wall I beingformed with an opening 23 communicating with said passage 22, and theband l4 being formed with a plurality of openings 24, any of which maybe alined with the opening 23, according to the angle at which thebracket extends from the casing (horizontal or vertical).

In order that the illumination provided by the various bulbs may beconfined to the signalling members to which they are allotted, I providea novel cell-forming construction within the casing providing one celllib for the bulbs ll; one cell l8b for the bulbs l8; one cell lfib forthe bulbs l9, and one cell 2% for the bulbs 23'. Two

horizontal cell-forming members 25 form the cells Ill) and i827, each ofsaid members having a top wall 26, a bottom wall 21, a pointed outer endwall 28,and an inner end wall 29. Each of these cell-forming members maywell be formed =fromv and shaped to fit against the socket Hla, are twopartitions 32 which may be secured to said end walls by solder or thelike 33 to further rigidly connect them. The top walls 26 of the. twocellforming members 25 carry the sockets Ila, and [8a which may besoldered or otherwise secured to them. These members 25 completelysurround the translucent signalling members I! and I8 and have theirpointed outer endsdisposed at the casing wall it, said pointed endsbeing notched at 34 to receive wires extending to the bulb sockets fromthe passage 22 of the bracket iii.

A vertical cell-forming member 35 contains the two bulbs i9 andsurrounds the signalling member 59. This member 35 is formed with apointed upper end wall 35 and with two vertical side walls 3'5, theseside walls being soldered or'otherwise secured at 38,. at theirlowerends, to the top walls 26 of the horizontal members 25. One of thewalls 3! carries the socket illa for the uppermost bulb l9.

A lowercell-forming member 39 encloses the bulbs 2d and the signallingmember 20, said member 39 having an outer end wall 40 and vertical sidewalls M, the upper ends of the latter being soldered or otherwisesecured to the'lower side walls 2] of the horizontal members 25, as seenat 42. The side walls 4| have outwardly ofiset portions 43 carrying thesockets 20a, and the end wall M is by preference slotted as shown at 44to prevent it from interfering with the wires extending through theopenings 23 and 24.

The various side and end walls of the cellforming members 25, 35 and 39,are of such width that they extend to and contact with the front andrear sides 8 and 9 of the casing ,1 to prevent leakage oflight, and assaid width is greater than the diameter of the light sockets, the plates32 extend from the lowermost socket Illa to said front and back sides ofthe casing to here prevent any leakage of light.

Wires are diagrammatically shown at 45 in Fig. 3, said wires beingsuitably connected with the various sockets of the light bulbs. The

notches 34 and the openings 23, 24 and 44, accommodate these wiresbetween the sockets and the bracket passage 22. The wiring is connectedwith an appropriate switch forming no part of w the present invention,which switch is active to illuminate the bulbs Ii when a left turn is tobe made, the bulbs #8 when a right turn is to be made, the bulbs l9 whenit is to be indicated that the car will go straight through anintersection, and the bulbs 20 when the driver intends to make a U-turn.In cities where U-turns are prohibited, the letter S, it will berecalled, may be substituted for the letter U, for the signalling member29, and the bulbs 26 will then act to illuminate this stop indication. 5

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,it will be seen that lrovel and advantageous provision has been made forcarrying outthe objects of the invention, and while preferences havebeen disclosed, attention :isagain invited to the possibility of makingvariahaving front and back walls and a peripheral Wall; two radialhorizontal cell-forming members in said casing and each having upper andlower side walls and inner and outer end walls; ave'rtically.disposed'bulb socket between said inner end walls of said cell-formingmembers and secured to these inner end walls to unitarily unite them; avertical cell-forming member in said casing having an outer end wall andside walls,f

the latter being secured at their inner ends to aforesaid side walls ofsaid horizontal cell-forming members; a light bulb held in the aforesaidsocket and disposed in the cell formed by said vertical cell-formingmember; other light bulbs in the cells formed by said horizontalcell-forming members; and sockets for these bulbs secured to aforesaidside walls of said horizontal cel1 forming members; said side and endwalls of said cell forming members having front and rear edges Iabutting said front and back walls of said casing; L

said end walls of said cell-forming members being disposed at saidperipheral wall of said casing;

at least one of said front and back walls of said casing havingtranslucent signalling members allotted to the cells formed by saidcell-forming members, said signalling members indicating dif- 'ferentmovements of the vehicle.

2. In an automobile turning signal, a casing having front and back wallsand a peripheral wall; two radial horizontal cellforming menu.

bers in said casing and each having upper and lower side walls and innerand outer end walls;

a vertically disposed bulb socket between said inner end walls of saidcell-forming members and secured to these inner end walls to unitarilyunite them; an upper vertical cell-forming member" "above the inner endportions of said horizontal cell-forming members, said verticalcell-forming member having an upper end wall and vertical side walls,thelatter being secured at their lower ends to said upper side walls ofsaid horizontal cell-forming members; a lower vertical cellformingmember having a lower end wall and side 7 walls, the latter beingsecured at their upper ends to said lower side walls of said horizontalcell-forming members; a light bulb held in the aforesaid socket anddisposed in the cell formed by one of said vertical cell-formingmembers;

other light bulbs in the cells formed by the others, 1 of saidcell-forming members; and sockets see curecl to aforesaid side walls ofthe last mentioned 5 cell-forming members and holding said other lightbulbs; said side and end walls of said cellforming members having frontand rear edges abutting said front and back walls of said casing; saidend walls of said cell-forming members being disposed at said peripheralwall of said casing; at least one of said front and back walls of saidcasing having translucent signalling members alloted to the cells formedby said cell-forming members, said signalling members indicatingdifferent movements of the vehicle.

GEORGE DYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Riggs Sept. 17, 1918 HeartsillJune 3, 1919 Ballard Sept. 1, 1925 Schlotterbeck Apr. 13, 1926 BosworthOct. 4, 1927 Katt Oct. 29, 1929 Stone Aug. 16, 1936 Gingras July 27,1937 McCready June 14, 1938

